Mercury News – “Last month federal Judge Denny Chin rejected a settlement between Google (GOOG) and a group of authors and publishers, curtailing the Internet giant’s ambitious goal to digitize a vast collection of books. While the court’s decision is in line with U.S. copyright law, the plan to bring the works of the printed world to the online masses should still be an aspiration for our digital society.

Google’s dream originally envisioned by Larry Page, one of the company’s founders and soon to be chief executive, was to “unlock the wisdom imprisoned in the world’s out-of-print books.” The decision now leaves Google with the option to seek congressional legislation, a move that would open the realm of building digital libraries and publishing orphan works to all.

If Google’s intentions to bring the world’s knowledge to the masses are altruistic, then it would be the ultimate philanthropic move if it decided to partner with universities, foundations or with the Library of Congress to make the digitized library dream of its founder a reality.”